UK weather forecast: Storm Barney to wash out Leonid meteor shower but you can watch it online

The Leonid meteor shower happens every November, putting on a spectacular show for stargazers across the globe. The Leonid is said to be one of the fastest meteor showers of the year and is expected to peak on 17 and 18 November.

Unfortunately, the meteor shower coincides with the arrival of Storm Barney, the UK's second named storm of the season. While spectators would usually be able to look to the sky and see the meteors with the naked eye, Tuesday night could be wet and windy for many.

Richard Kacerek, from the UK Meteor Observation Network, said: "Although Leonids have produced some storms in the past, this time around we should see 'normal' activity of about 10-15 meteors per hour."

The Met Office has said that there is a possibility the UK public could still catch a glimpse of the meteor shower as rain is expected to clear in most regions and give way to some drier spells later in the evening. Northern Ireland would be less lucky as the rain persisted, while the Weather Network has said the best places to view the meteor shower would be in eastern parts of the country after midnight and before dawn.

Fortunately, those people unable to watch the meteor shower from their backyards due to Storm Barney will be able to watch a livestream of the phenomenon online. The Weather Network will be showing the Leonids on its website from 1am GMT on Wednesday.

According to experts, the Leonid meteor shower is produced by bits of rock and ice from the Comet 550/Tempel-Tuttle and can be best seen near the constellation of Leo, from where it derives its name.

The Meteor Observation Network advises looking south or south- east for the best chance of seeing the meteors. You can increase your chances of seeing the show by watching from a dark area away from any streetlights.

A better view of the meteor shower will be seen on Wednesday night after Storm Barney clears UK skies. Barney began wreaking havoc across the country on Tuesday evening as flights were cancelled and cities in the south were warned over flooded roads and power outages.